With twinkling lanterns and tantalising aromas of food, bustling night markets are a staple of Ramadan festivities. The House of Wisdom (HoW) is celebrating this age-old cultural tradition with its own Ramadaniyat pop-up, the first-ever outdoor marketplace hosted by the iconic cultural centre, which runs for ten days until April 24. Offering visitors of all age groups a plethora of activities that bring together a unique shopping experience, arts and gastronomic delights, the free-to-enter ‘House of Wisdom Ramadaniyat’ is open from 20:30 until midnight.
Weaving through the crowds in HoW’s outdoor space between the main building and The Scroll Monument, visitors can browse among 20 vendor booths where a number of local entrepreneurs and SMEs are displaying an array of exclusive clothing and jewellery pieces by homegrown independent boutiques and designers.
The event comprises the ‘Little Reader’s Ramadaniyat’, which offers parents the opportunity to register their kids and let them enjoy a workshop space and shopping area from 17:00 until midnight in HoW’s Little Reader children’s section, while parents can continue their shopping experience and participate in the activities held in the outdoor area.
The section is hosting a programme based on an international framework, spanning the areas of STEM, wellbeing, music, literature, art and identity. Highlighting the element of play in learning as well as social and emotional development, the programme helps the children build their cultural competence and life skills in addition to engaging in a variety of activities and experiences. As part of the workshop series, DIY kits that include craft tools, toys and products relevant to the blessed month of Ramadan, will be available for sale which participants can purchase and work on with the help of trained facilitators.
Families can treat their young ones to something special for Ramadan from one of the local vendors who have set up a shop in the Little Reader section, by offering vibrantly illustrated books designed to help youth form a healthy and long-lasting relationship with the Arabic language while stimulating their imagination. Younger kids will be delighted by the brightly coloured early learning toys and products to enhance children’s cognitive capabilities.
The ‘House of Wisdom Ramadaniyat’ is part of the HoW’s on-going Ramadan programme in April, featuring creative and educational workshops and other activities dedicated for children and Youth to harness their leisure time during the Holy Month, nurture their knowledge on its cultural and religious values and enable them to experience its deeply rooted customs and traditions.
